1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the fields of neurobiology, physiology, biochemistry and medicine and can be directed toward the treatment of neurological disorders and, in particular, to the therapeutic use of compounds that selectively reduce persistent sodium currents to treat neurological disorders.
2. Background Information
The lipid bilayer membrane of all cells forms a barrier that is largely impermeable to the flux of ions and water. Residing within the membrane are a superfamily of proteins called ion channels, which provide selective pathways for ion flux. Precisely regulated conductances produced by ion channels are required for intercellular signaling and neuronal excitability. Over the past 50 years, an increasing number of diseases of the nervous system and other excitable tissues have been shown to result from the dysregulation of ion channels. This class of disease has been termed channelopathies.
In particular, a group of ion channels that open upon depolarization of excitable cells are classified as voltage-gated and are responsible for electrical activity in nerve, muscle and cardiac tissue. In neurons, ion currents flowing through voltage-gated sodium channels are responsible for rapid spike-like action potentials. During action potentials the majority of sodium channels open very briefly. These brief openings result in transient sodium currents. However, a subset of voltage-gated sodium channels does not close rapidly, but remain open for relatively long intervals. These channels therefore generate sustained or persistent sodium currents. The balance between transient and persistent sodium current is crucial for maintaining normal physiological function and electrical signaling throughout the entire nervous system.
In conditions characterized by aberrant levels of persistent sodium current, normal function is disrupted when neurons discharge signals inappropriately and include, e.g., neuropathies; hypoxias and ischemias; behavioral disorders and dementia; and movement and neurodegenerative diseases. For example, in the case of the neuropathies embraced by epilepsy, there can be a brief electrical “storm” arising from neurons that are inherently unstable because of a genetic defect as in various types of inherited epilepsy, or from neurons made unstable by metabolic abnormalities such as low blood glucose, or alcohol. In other cases, the abnormal discharge can come from a localized area of the brain, such as in patients with epilepsy caused by head injury or brain tumor. In the case of ischemic injuries, such as, e.g., cerebral ischemia and myocardial ischemia, there can be prolonged electrical activity arising from neurons in which persistent sodium channel expression or activity is increased. Such aberrant electrical activity can cause or contribute to neuronal death, which can lead to debilitating injury or death of an individual. Aberrant electrical activity also can contribute to neurodegenerative disorders such as, without limitation, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.
At present, treatments for many diseases characterized by aberrant levels of persistent sodium channel current are inadequate or non-existent. Current therapies, such as, e.g., Berger et al., Treatment of Neuropathic Pain, U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,830 (Nov. 18, 1997); Marquess et al., Sodium Channel Drugs and Uses, U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,498 (Nov. 12, 2002); Choi et al., Sodium Channel Modulators, U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,012 (Nov. 11, 2003); and Chinn et al., Sodium Channel Modulators, U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,400 (Jun. 29, 2004), encompass general sodium channel modulators that systemically effect transient currents. As such, the usefulness of available sodium channel blocking drugs is severely limited by potentially adverse side effects, such as, e.g., paralysis and cardiac arrest.
Thus, there exists a need to identify new therapeutic methods that can be used to selectively treat conditions characterized by aberrant levels of persistent sodium current, such as, e.g., neuropathies; hypoxias and ischemias; behavioral disorders and dementia; and movement and neurodegenerative diseases, and to protect the brain from the damaging effects of persistent sodium current. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides related advantages as well.